I put my portafilter in the dishwasher and it took of the shine. The portafilter now has a kind of dull grey look to it. When I touched it, some of the metal would rub of. I have washed it several times since then and the metal does not rub off anymore. I am wondering if this portafilter is still safe to use?

What is it made of? Was it a chromed brass, and the brass is now exposed? Was it plated aluminum (Seems likely if it's dull grey, now) What machine was it? Many people have a problem with consuming anything that's come in contact with aluminum, some believe that it will lead to ALS, I don't know about that, but I wouldn't intentionally eat aluminum powder if I were aware of its potential presence. Brass shouldn't degrade so it won't affect the water/coffee brewed through it. I can't imagine stainless steel would have any issue in a dishwasher.It wouldn't hurt to replace it, both for aesthetic purposes and peace of mind. It will probably stain badly and easily. If it's a disposable machine with an aluminum or chromed, white-metal portafilter, a replacement filter ought to be cheap.

The filter basekt is probably made of aluminum and it's oxidized now by the dishwasher detergent. It's not advisable to clean your espresso equipment in the dishwasher. Use a solution of coffee oil detergent (like JoeGlo, Pulycaf or Cafiza, for example), the kind used for backflushing. Personally I've had very good results cleaning my filter baskets and portafilters using "wicked liquid", a dillution mix of one tablespoon of JoeGlo per quart of boiling hot water. Soaking for five minutes is usually enough to remove any residues. It's like they say on their homepage: ""If it doesn't come off in 10 minutes, it's not coming off."

By the way, you might still use your filters, They just don't look shiny any more.

***"This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee, when he was urged to ban the beverage)

The only way to remove the oxidation from aluminium that has suffered a dishwasher , which is NEVERadvised for aluminium, is with hard scrubbing with scotch bright. It will not be pretty anymore but it will be safe to use.

In real life, my name isWayne P.Anything I post is personal opinion and is only worth as much as anyone else's personal opinion. YMMV!

Use a solution of coffee oil detergent (like JoeGlo, Pulycaf or Cafiza, for example), the kind used for backflushing. Personally I've had very good results cleaning my filter baskets and portafilters using "wicked liquid", a dillution mix of one tablespoon of JoeGlo per quart of boiling hot water. Soaking for five minutes is usually enough to remove any residues. It's like they say on their homepage: ""If it doesn't come off in 10 minutes, it's not coming off."

Pulycaf and aluminium don't go well together. You'll probably get the same result as with the alkali dishwasher detergent. Haven't used the others suggested, but if they are the same basic chemical composition, I wouldn't recommend them.

Dylan - as suggested earlier, a good scrub with something like scotchbrite will at least make it safe to use. If you want to try to restore the shine on the outside, the right sort of paste type metal polish will help, but it may take quite a bit of effort. Look for one which includes suitability for polishing aluminium as well other metals.

Thanks for all the replies. For those who asked about what kind of machine it is, it is an el cheapo Mr. Coffee ECM 21. Despite the fact it was a cheap machine, it did make good coffee. Since the shine came off, I believe the portafilter may have been chromed and the dishwashing detergent (FINISH) stripped away the chrome. It seems the replies are split as to whether it is still safe to use. I opted to replace the part but it is not available. I wanted to repurchase the same machine but that too was no longe available. Anyways, if anyone has anything more to add, to this post, I will gladly appreciate it. Thanks.

Dishwashers do not remove chrome. it was aluminum. Wash thoroughly with a scotchbrite pad. Then buff the shine back on. Barkeeper's Friend, or a buffing wheel will do it. A local Jr. college's jewelry department will probably be able to help. Just talk to a student going into the lab and pay them $5.

Cafiza did the same thing to my old Hamilton Beach portafilter. I scrubbed off the oxidation, which got it nice and clean, but the shine never came back. No amount of buffing would shine it up. It was usable but ugly. You could try some searches on Ebay to source a replacement.

Thanks for the reply fwtechwiz. Did your portafilter look like it was plated with some shiny substance like chrome? When the plated substance came off, did it look like a dull grey? Did some metal residue rub off onto your hands or rag when this first happened? How long did you continue to use your portafilter after it lost its shine?

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